Like Falling Through The Looking Glass
by Lexie-Rae
Summary: Rewrite of You're My Best Friend. Peyton and Haley find themselves in the hospital after a freak accident, but not all is as it seems. For one girl, her wildest dream has been realised, but the other girl is living a nightmare.


**Okay, so I need to say that this is a rewrite of my first every story **_**You're my best friend**_. **On Saturday I got a lovely review from an anonymous reader asking me to finish the story and I'm going to try, but my writing's changed a lot since then, so I'm rewriting it too, to get back into the rhythms of this story with a few tweaks and enhancements, hopefully.**

**And I'm keeping the original up at least for now, because I want to be able to refer back to the reviews so that I know what people thought of the chapters as I rewrite them (if that makes sense?)**

**If you haven't read _YMBF _then I should warn you that this is a little, um, supernatural-y…sort of, I'm not too good at explaining it! **

**But anyway, this is for anonymous, hope you enjoy! Lexie :)**

…

"Peyton?" A sweet voice called out, "Peyton, can you hear me?"

Peyton felt herself frown. The voice was familiar but she couldn't quite place it in her mind. Every syllable was crafted with care and concern. It was a warm and tender sounding voice. Motherly. It was motherly.

A sharp realisation hit. Well, not so much a realisation, more of a crazy, ridiculous notion.

"Peyton, honey?"

She had to be dreaming, there was no other explanation. Still, that didn't take away her curiosity. Cautiously, Peyton peeked her eyes open.

At first she was blinded by a flooding brilliant white light. It took a few moments of repetitive blinking for her to recognise anything at all. Then slowly the surroundings of the crisp clean room came into focus, telling her that she was in the hospital.

"Larry! She's okay. She's awake!"

This time the voice was excitable. Peyton could hear the relief and happiness running through every word. She convinced herself that she was delirious from whatever drugs she'd been given at the hospital and was just hearing things. There was no way that the voice belonged to the person she thought it did. That was impossible.

Beside her, and just in her line of vision, Peyton saw her Dad stand to his feet. She was surprised when she registered his features properly. As he leant over her bed to press a kiss to her forehead she noted how youthful he looked. It was an odd observation, she realised but she couldn't help from noticing. It was almost as though a few worry lines had been ironed out and smoothed from his skin.

"Hey, Baby Girl." He said gently, taking her heavily bandaged hand in his. "You had us worried there."

Us. Peyton couldn't help but wonder what he meant by us. Probably him and Brooke. Maybe Nathan and Haley too. Or Lucas…or maybe not Lucas. She couldn't tell with that boy anymore. One moment he was kissing her, like he meant it too, and then he was proposing to Lindsey. It was messed up. Yet Peyton couldn't help that little skip of her heart when she thought of the possibility of him being there at her bedside willing her to wake up.

In her mind she could see Lucas' sleep haggard eyes and feel his coffee breath on her neck. He'd whisper in her ear that he was so glad she was okay.

Peyton sighed. It was unlikely that the 'us' included Lucas. He was probably at home with Lindsey, his arms around her, whispering in _her _ear.

"How are you feeling?" Larry questioned, interrupting her thoughts.

Peyton blinked back at him as though just remembering that he was sat next to her, "What happened?"

It must have been something serious, she figured. Her Dad was supposed to be away on a job. For him to come all the way back to Tree Hill, it had to be something to worry about.

That made her stomach fall. She was lying on a hospital bed and so far all she'd thought about was Lucas. That was typical. Predictable, even. She didn't even know why she was there.

Larry shook his head slightly and a wry smile ran to his features, "You and Haley were messing about in her Dad's shed with some ancient appliance. You gave yourselves some nasty electric shocks."

Peyton didn't say anything in response. She was too confused. She couldn't remember being in Jimmy James' shed _ever_. Why she and Haley would be there was beyond her. In fact, Peyton was sure that the James' had sold up years ago.

"Honey, you should get some rest." The female voice spoke again, reminding Peyton of the other presence in the room.

Slowly, Peyton turned to the woman and when she did, she did a double take.

"We're so glad you're alright, Sweetheart." The woman continued, smiling broadly. It was a beautiful smile. Peyton couldn't help but notice, even in the middle of the head spin she was experiencing.

Clearly Peyton looked alarmed, because the woman's expression changed from happiness to concern in a sweeping second. She reached over and brushed her hand over Peyton's forehead in a show of maternal instinct.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?" She asked softly, her brow puckering to a frown.

Peyton felt herself recoil slightly from the woman's touch. She couldn't help herself, it was too weird. The prickling of tears formed in her eyes as she saw the hurt across the woman's face. The last thing she wanted was to upset her but what she was seeing couldn't be real. It couldn't.

"Baby, what's the matter?" Larry asked, the worry lines slowly returning to his face.

Somehow she couldn't quite form the words. She knew that the fear and confusion on her face would tell them that something was up though. Absently she felt herself moving closer to her father's outstretched arms. Away from the woman who was staring to her pleadingly.

"I'll get the nurse." She mustered eventually, "Stay with her, Larry."

Peyton felt Larry's nod of response as the woman left the room. His grip on her didn't loosen, even when he felt his daughter relax in his arms.

Taking a deep breath, Peyton twisted to look into her father's eyes. She was scared. Terrified in fact. The worry in his eyes didn't make her feel any better.

"What's going on?" She whispered. There was a definite quaver in her voice.

Instinctively Larry stroked her curls, "You've had a traumatic experience, and you're just a little shook up. Everything's going to be okay."

Okay seemed a far way off from where Peyton was sat. She'd just witnessed something she thought she'd never see again in her lifetime. It was like seeing a ghost, only the woman didn't seem much like a ghost. She seemed real. It was scary and confusing…and just a little bit wonderful.

"Daddy?" She questioned. Quite what she wanted him to say, she didn't know but she needed his reassurance that she wasn't going mad.

"You're safe here." He said soothingly, "You don't need to worry about anything."

Peyton sighed heavily. She did need to worry. There was something extremely worrying happening. And she was the only person concerned in the slightest that the universe had just turned on its head.

As she continued to wonder, a nurse rushed into the room, "It's good to see you awake, Peyton!"

In response Peyton just stared. Her eyes were fixed on the fretting face of the blonde stood at the nurse's shoulders. It just couldn't be.

"I hear you're a little distressed." The nurse said in a sweet voice.

"She's very upset." Larry answered.

"Well that's understandable." The nurse said, sweeping the worry from the room with one short sentence, "Are you in any pain?"

Slowly Peyton shook her head. Pain was about the last thing on her mind at this point.

"Hmmm, perhaps you're worried about your friend Haley?" The nurse assumed.

Peyton gasped softly, realising that she hadn't asked about Haley. Apparently she was part of this crazy charade too. Maybe she'd know why they were in Jimmy's shed.

"She's okay, right?" Peyton questioned quickly.

"She's not awake yet but she'll be okay." The nurse said with an accompanying sure smile.

"That's great news." Larry said, once again speaking for everyone.

The nurse narrowed her eyes slightly as though weighing something up in her mind, "Peyton, what's the last thing that you remember?"

It was a moment before she replied. Her throat was dry and her mind was whirring crazily, it was hard to focus on the events that now seemed so long ago. "I was at Lucas and Lindsey's bachelor-bachelorette party. Me and Haley were talking, she's convinced she wants to divorce Nathan but no one believes her. What about Jamie? He's only five, besides, they're _Naley _as Brooke would -,"

Peyton paused, noting the shock written over everyone's features. Clearly they hadn't been expecting her to say that.

Larry turned to the nurse, "Is this normal? Could she have a concussion?"

"Perhaps." The nurse seemed to stumble a little, "Every head injury is different. We didn't believe Peyton's was that substantial but I'll get a doctor."

Peyton looked to the ceiling, feeling the threat of tears once more. She had no idea what was going on and no one was managing to make her feel any better about the situation.

"It's okay," Larry said, trying to ease his daughter's panic, "We're here okay?"

Peyton looked uneasily to her father and then to the blonde woman who was back at her side.

"We're not going anywhere." Larry committed, lifting her hand to his lips to kiss it softly. "Your Mom and I are going to stay right with you."

All the air in Peyton's lungs seemed to leave her all at once. Her Mom. Her _Mom._ It couldn't be. And yet when she looked into those fretting hazel eyes and to that cautious smile, she couldn't help from begging for it to be true.

"Mom?" Peyton's tone was hesitant but as a mother Anna Sawyer saw past it. She heard the desperate craving in her daughter's tone.

"Right here, Sweets, right here." Her fingers lightly brushed Peyton's forehead and the softest of smiles appeared over the girl's lips.

As she felt the slumber take over, Peyton relished in the realness of the dream she was experiencing. Her Mom, just as she remembered her, soothing her to sleep and calling her Sweets.

…

Haley moaned softly as she stirred from her deep sleep. Her eyelids were heavy and there was an ache cast over her whole body. It made her want to do nothing more than roll over back to sleep but something stopped her.

"Haley Bob! You scared us!" Lydia James gushed.

"Mom?" Haley let go of the idea of sleeping and opened her eyes. "What's going on?"

The last piece of news she'd gotten from her parents had placed them in Nevada. Although she knew it wasn't past her crazed Mom and Dad to spring a surprise visit, Haley supposed.

"You, Little Lady, need to steer clear of my tool shed." Jimmy said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You and Peyton are too curious for your own good."

Haley raised her eyebrows and went to sit up. She'd always known her parents enjoyed a joke but this was a step too far. It wasn't even plausible so how they thought she'd fall for it, she didn't know.

"Alright give it up." She ordered, "What's going on?"

She ran her eyes over the room that was definitely not her bedroom.

"Am I in the hospital?" She asked nervously. Suddenly the idea of a joke was lost as fear crept in.

"You sure are." Jimmy confirmed, "Managed to get an electric shock off of something in that damn shed."

"_What?_" Sometimes Haley wished that she had normal parents that didn't goof around quite as much. Her Dad loved spinning lines and she had to admit this was a humdinger.

Jimmy shrugged, "Beats me what you girls were doing. I think you mentioned something about Jake's birthday."

Haley looked to her father like he was a madman, "Jake Jagelski?"

Jimmy and Lydia exchanged looks of confusion.

"How many other Jakes do we know?" Jimmy chuckled lightly, "Did you bang your head, Doll?"

Haley frowned, "I must have done."

It all had to be a figment of her imagination that was the only explanation. Her parents didn't even know Jake yet they were talking about him as though he was a life long acquaintance. And that was only the beginning; everything was a little off about the situation.

Haley couldn't help her mind from jumping to Nathan. Sure, she was supposed to be mad as hell at him and had claimed that she didn't want to see him but she was in the hospital. If there was one face she expected to see it was her husband's. Soon-to-be ex husband but whatever, he was the one assuring her that he still loved her. Where the hell was he?

"Where's Nathan?" She asked eventually even though her parents were whispering urgently to one another.

Lydia frowned, "Who's Nathan, honey? Have you got a boyfriend?"

Haley hated when Lydia had teased her like that as a kid, she didn't need anymore jokes now. "Quit it, Mom, I'm serious, where is he?"

Her parents both stared back at her worriedly. That gave her the answer she needed. He hadn't even come. He was probably shacked up with Carrie somewhere. Haley felt sick at the thought.

"Well who's looking after Jamie?" Haley questioned. She hoped that Nathan didn't have him. Especially if he really was with Carrie. There was no way in hell her son was gong anywhere near that woman.

"Hon, you should get some rest." Lydia suggested softly, "You're not making any sense."

Haley's eyes widened, "Mom, this is not the time for jokes! Who's with Jamie?"

Her parents just looked to her bemused. Haley, having had enough of their charade, began to climb out of bed.

"Sweetie, you have to stay put." Jimmy said, rushing to stop her from leaving.

Haley sighed, "I'll stay, just tell me that Jamie's okay."

Lydia shrugged slightly, "He's fine, Honey, perfectly safe."

Haley breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Good. Now when am I getting out of here?"

Her parents shared yet another worried look.

"Soon, Honey, I'm sure." Jimmy said with an accompanying false smile. Haley truly had no idea what on earth was going on but whatever it was, it was making her parents act even stranger than usual.

…

When visiting hours ended, Peyton found that she didn't want her Mom and Dad to leave. She was sure that soon after they left she'd wake up from whatever crazy dream she was having and truthfully, she was enjoying it. It was a little worrying, she knew but everything was so vivid; she'd been almost able to convince herself that it was all real.

Maybe she'd had too much to drink at Lucas and Lindsey's Bachelor-Bachelorette party. The very thought made her want to drink. She supposed that was the answer; she'd gotten royally drunk at the party and now she was experiencing the effects in the shape of a very strange dream.

She was musing the thought when the door to her hospital room opened and a petite brunette entered.

"Haley!" Peyton couldn't help but gasp. It was Haley, she was sure of it but it wasn't the Haley James Scott she remembered from the party. This was a teenage, meek, wide doe-eyed Haley. Tutor Girl herself.

Peyton laughed lightly and put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head back and forth as she did so. Perhaps she'd had something more than alcohol.

"Peyton!" Haley hissed and looked to her with fretful eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

The blonde found the question hilarious, "You know, I think you're totally asking the wrong girl."

Haley, in response, began to pace the floor, running her fingers through her dark auburn hair as she did so. Peyton couldn't help but notice that she was muttering to herself too.

"Are you okay?" Peyton ventured. She was sure she was still dreaming but she couldn't help from being concerned.

"No!" Haley looked back at her with tear-filled eyes, "I'm sorry, I'm just really confused right now."

Peyton's brow creased to form a frown. She thought for a moment before crawling to the edge of her bed, "Haley James…"

She watched as Haley's lips silently formed the word _Scott_. Peyton knew it was an inside joke between Nathan and Haley that he used to forget to add his own last name to hers.

"Scott." Peyton finished. "Haley James Scott."

Haley stared for a moment, "You mean?"

"Haley, what's the last thing that you remember, before the…accident?" Peyton asked boldly.

Taking a deep breath, Haley closed her eyes, "I was talking to you about Nathan and Carrie. We were," Haley peeked an eye open to check that Peyton hadn't run to get a psychoanalysis test for her.

"We were sorting out the sound system," Peyton continued.

"And the wires were faulty." Haley finished as they both stared shocked into each other's eyes.

Peyton swallowed thickly, "And now we're in some kind of upside down universe."

"There's no such thing." Haley shot back. Her world was built on logic and reason.

"Then where are we?" Peyton questioned.

"In a dream." Haley decided, "This is purely a hallucination of sorts, they must have given us some drugs at the hospital and I've been thrown into this strange creation of my mind."

Peyton looked to her unconvinced, "Then what am I doing here? Shouldn't I be in my own little pocket of my mind?"

Haley ignored her. Peyton got the feeling that Haley was beginning to believe her own theory; and she'd decided that Peyton was just as unreal as all the other characters they'd encountered in this world so far.

"Hales, this isn't like any dream I've ever had." Peyton attempted but Haley only frowned at her. "Haley, is there a possibility that we're having a _joint _out of body experience?"

The young tutor looked to her friend suspiciously.

"Look, I'm all you've got here." Peyton pointed out, grinning a little, to which Haley couldn't help from scowl at.

"Okay, forgive me, but you seem a little too pleased to back in some kind of teenage nightmare. I'm pretty sure that we should both be freaking the hell out right now." Haley ranted, her voice rising octaves as the panic swept over again.

Peyton's eyes danced back at her and she bit down on her lower lip, almost too afraid to share her secret.

"Oh my God," Haley rolled her eyes dramatically, "Girly if you tell me that you've seen Lucas in this messed up world and you're his girlfriend I may have to smack you. Because that is not a good reason to be enjoying this craziness!"

Peyton's brow creased as she thought of Lucas and where he might be in this so called 'universe'. "No, not Luke. It's, well, my Mom, Anna, I mean. She's here, Hales, and she's alive. She's older, like the accident never happened or something and it's just so incredible. She's just as I remember her, except that she's real. I can smell her, I can speak to her, I can see her smile,"

"Oh, Peyton," Haley said in a hushed whisper, her hands closing over Peyton's.

…

It was a full two day before the two girls met up again; only then were their parents convinced of their daughters' sanity levels.

"Peyton!" Anna called up the stairs, as Haley stood nervously on the doorstep, marvelling at the sight of the woman that she'd never known. Even as the serial pragmatist, Haley was astounded.

Soon Peyton came rushing down the stairs, a smile fixed from ear to ear. Haley was taken aback by the combination of seeing Peyton as a teenager and her beaming so madly.

"Man, I've been wanting to see you for days!" Peyton revealed as she greeted her friend.

"Same here." Haley agreed, "We have so much to talk about."

"We sure do." Peyton smiled towards her Mom as Anna retreated back to the kitchen. She took Haley's hand and led her up towards her bedroom.

"Oh my gosh, Peyton." Haley gasped as she slipped her messenger bag from her shoulder. She'd stepped into Peyton's bedroom and was in awe. The room was light and fresh, painted a mint green colour and photos adorned the walls, along with Peyton's sketches. There was another notable difference, that Haley saw immediately, all of the art showed joyful, happy scenes, far from the designs she was used to Peyton producing.

Beside her, Peyton laughed, "I know, right?"

"Peyton, this is, I don't know what to say!" Haley span in a full circle as Peyton flopped down onto her bed, watching on amused by Haley's reaction.

"My life is like a fairytale," Peyton gushed, "Just look at how happy everyone is in these pictures!"

Haley faltered as she was brought back to her own reality by Peyton's head being in the clouds. "By everyone do you mean me, you, Jake and our parents? Only everyone else seems to be missing?"

"Okay, so I haven't exactly worked out how everyone else fits into this world yet," Peyton shrugged, "But so far I like what I see."

Haley sighed and sank down beside Peyton on the bed. She glanced over to the blonde's glassy eyed look and hated the fact that she was going to have to be the one to stick a pin in her happiness. "Hey, Girly, I know you're on cloud nine, but don't you miss our lives?"

There was a moment's silence as Peyton's face twisted, showing how torn she was. "Certain parts I miss like hell. Brooke, for example. I'm not sure that we're friends here."

It was the first time that Haley had witnessed a chink in Peyton's happiness. She smiled softly to her friend and nodded in understanding, "I miss my boy."

"Oh Hales." Peyton brought her friend into a tight hug, realising that with the break in Haley's voice, there was also a break in her heart.

"What are we going to do?" Haley asked through muted sobs.

Peyton's eyes lingered on the pictures tacked to her bedroom wall. There was only one conceivable link she could see. "We're going to see Jake, that's what we're going to do."

Haley blinked back her tears and nodded, "That's a good idea."

…

When Jake pulled open the door, Peyton felt a shiver run down her spine. He wasn't quite the boy that _always _saved her, but she'd loved him all the same. And now he was stood there with that perfect grin and those kind dark eyes.

"Hey," He smiled warmly at his two friends and stepped aside to let them in, "Can I trust you not to set fire to the place, cause a flood or disaster of any kind?"

"Haha." Haley returned flatly as Peyton tried to suppress the weird feeling in her stomach that felt like an odd kind of déjà vu. "So we had a dealing with some electrics,"

Jake shook his head and smiled all the more, his eyes crinkling at the edges slightly. As Peyton stepped past him he settled a hand on her back and they locked eyes for a moment. "I'm glad you guys are okay."

"Yeah," Peyton breathed softly, as she nodded, "Thanks."

"Jen's asleep upstairs," Jake explained as both girls ran their eyes over the room. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thanks," Haley answered for the two of them. Peyton could almost feel the excitement buzzing from her as she took a seat on the couch beside her.

Jake looked to them, intrigued, "Okay, spill, you're both acting weird."

Haley held a steady gaze and exhaled a long breath, "Okay, do you promise not to freak out?"

Jake leaned back in the chair he'd taken, and shrugged offhandedly, "Sure, that's your job, Hales."

Peyton smiled at the comment but Haley was too pumped up for it to even register. "Okay, so Peyton and I are struggling to remember some stuff since the accident,"

Frowning, Jake leaned in a little closer to them, "Hold up, both of you?"

They nodded mutely in response, hoping that Jake would quit giving them a look like they'd each grown three heads.

Eventually he shrugged, "Pretty weird, but okay. What have you forgotten?"

Haley shared a cautious look with Peyton before licking her lips and pressing on, "I've been wondering, what made us friends? Like why just us three, why don't we mix with the guys from the river court, or the jocks?'

"Are you two alright?" Jake asked, his brow deep with concern.

Finally, in a small voice, Peyton spoke, "Could you just tell us, please?"

"Sure." Jake complied, sending a short smile of reassurance to Peyton, "Okay, so we are all friends because Goldilocks over here felt sorry for us, I think."

Haley and Peyton both frowned at the explanation.

"Okay, so you and me," Jake pointed to himself and Haley in turn, 'We pretty much kept ourselves to ourselves, we mixed with some kids, like you were pretty close to Lucas Scott, but we never had best friends. Peyt, you were different, you've always had loads of friends, for a while you were best friends with Brooke Davis-"

"What happened?" Peyton demanded, sitting up a little straighter, "Between me and Brooke, I mean?"

"You drifted, I guess. She changed, you changed. Growing up made her chase boys and worry about how she looked, you weren't so worried about those things." Jake explained easily.

Peyton nodded, taking it all in, a little annoyed with herself for throwing away such a good friendship.

"What about me and Lucas?" Haley enquired, her eyes wide and hungry. Peyton kind of thought that she'd seen the look on Haley before when they'd been learning about a new topic in school.

Jake hung his head, "I don't know if you want to hear this, really, are you sure you don't remember?"

Haley shook her head, sadly, "No. Come on, Jake, you have to tell me."

He sighed and rolled his shoulders, as though limbering up, "We must have been about nine years old at the time, I'm not quite sure, but Lucas lost his uncle, they were really close. He just pushed everyone away and started to act out."

"Lucas? Is he okay?" Haley gushed, "What's he like now?"

"You guys are freaking me out." Jake admitted, "Have you got amnesia or something?"

"Unofficially, maybe." Peyton muttered glumly, upset to hear that Lucas had suffered such a trauma, "How did Keith die?"

"You remember Keith then?" Jake said sounding slightly happier, "He ran a red light, he was running late to pick up Lucas, I think he blamed himself."

Peyton visibly paled and Haley sat open mouthed.

"And Lucas now, well he got his act together, he's still got a temper mind." Jake told the shocked pair.

The confessions were interrupted by a wail from Jenny and Jake excused himself to comfort her. The girls sat in a dumbfound kind of shock for a moment before Haley found her voice again.

"Poor Luke, I can't believe I abandoned him. I hope he's still friends with all of the river court guys. I wonder if Nathan's life is the same, oh God, I wonder who he's _dating_?" Haley gushed.

The brunette turned to her friend for a response to see that her eyes were shining with tears.

"Peyton, what's wrong?" Haley asked softly.

"Don't you see?" Peyton questioned, her eyes wide and afraid "Keith took my Mom's place, because she didn't die, Keith did."

"Are you sure that it's not just a coincidence?" Haley tried to reason.

Peyton shook her head, "Come on, Hales, it's exactly the same, someone had to go."

"So you think that the only thing that's changed is Keith and your Mom have swapped places?" Haley questioned.

"What about all of the other stuff?" Peyton frowned.

"You heard what Jake said, everything he told us directly resulted from Lucas losing Keith or you not losing your Mom." Haley rambled.

Peyton frowned and shook her curls, "You've lost me."

"Okay, so Lucas and I aren't best friends; that's because he pushed me away after Keith's death." Haley began slowly, "You and Brooke aren't close because you didn't need her to perk you up, and therefore you didn't cling to each other. Instead you found your own friends in me and Jake and I think you chose us."

"I _chose_ you?" Peyton repeated.

"Well, I'm guessing that due to circumstances, you have a pretty sunny outlook on life and you saw two lonely people in Jake and I, so you took pity on us and took us on as best friends." Haley concluded.

"I can't believe you just worked all of that out." Peyton groaned, her head spinning.

Haley shrugged, "They don't call me tutor girl for nothing."

"Man, my head hurts." The blonde sighed.

"Do you have a headache?" Jake questioned as he descended the stairs, a dopey Jenny in his arms.

"Yeah, but they said I might get them from time to time." She said waving a hand to dismiss the issue.

…

Peyton and Haley had headed home after Peyton began to feel ill, much to the disappointment of Jake, who missed his friends. Haley too was a little frustrated as she was desperate for more information from Jake.

Haley walked Peyton right to her door, slightly worried by Peyton's sudden switch from perky to quiet and sullen.

Anna Sawyer appeared at the door before either girl could knock, "Peyton, are you okay?"

"Yeah, really, it's just a headache, like the doctors said I'd have." Peyton tried to dismiss the issue.

Anna pursed her lips, "I think you should get to bed, sweets."

Haley could see in Peyton's eyes just how much she loved any interaction she had with her mother, even if she was telling her to go to bed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired." Peyton yawned as she headed towards the stairs.

Both Anna and Haley watched as the curly blonde disappeared to the upper floor.

Anna turned to her daughter's friend, "I'm so worried about her, she's not herself."

"I think the accident just shook her up a little, she's looking at things a bit differently." Haley tried to explain although she could feel herself blushing at the thought of lying to an adult, even though technically she was an adult herself. Sort of.

Anna nodded, through a sigh, "You're probably right, you usually are, Haley. How have you been since the accident?"

Haley shrugged a little. It was strange to have a conversation with a perfect stranger who had seemingly known her a long time, "I just want everything to go back to normal, and I can't wait to get back to school."

"Haley James, you are every mother's dream." Anna smiled kindly, "Thank you for walking her back, do you want a ride home?"

The brunette smiled warmly at the woman she'd never had the chance to meet, "No thanks, Mrs Sawyer, I think I'll enjoy the walk."

"Okay, Haley, but how many times, call me Anna!" She called after the young girl.

…

A few hours later, Anna went to check on her daughter, taking with her chicken noodle soup and cocoa, her never fail feel better remedy.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Anna said softly as she nudged Peyton's shoulder.

"Hmm?" Peyton murmured, still drowsy from her midday sleep.

"I brought you soup, Angel." Anna tried to rouse her daughter, sweeping her hands over Peyton's forehead to feel her temperature.

Peyton smiled before opening her eyes.

"There she is. Are you feeling better now?" Anna asked as she perched herself on the bed.

"Much better." Peyton assured her.

"Chicken noodle did always have that effect on you." Anna mused, "You know, when you were younger and home sick from school, I'd always keep you home an extra day so that I could enjoy the fact that I had a beautiful healthy kid. You always appreciate health better after you're ill."

"I remember," Peyton whispered, "I haven't thought about those days in years."

"Me neither, kiddo, but I can't wait for the next one, when you're all better." Anna pressed a kiss into her daughter's curls. "How about it, I keep you off an extra day, we can something together?"

"That sounds great." Peyton beamed, her eyes shining wildly.

"Let's just keep this between us though, the conversation I had earlier with Haley tells me she wouldn't agree." Anna chuckled as she slipped into the bed beside Peyton, gently cupping her own mug of cocoa.

Peyton joined in with her mother's laughter, her heart bursting with the feeling of the moment she was sharing, with her Mom.


End file.
